The Prequel
by TwoHeartedAlien
Summary: This is the prequel to my other story Living with the Past, Creating a New Future. It's a series of snapshots of important moments through out Katarina and Riven's relationship from start to end.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Riven leans on the bar calling for another drink from the bartender. She was feeling sore from yet another long day of training; the hope that maybe it would be less ruthless once she had finished her preliminary training with the military was a false one. The bartender placed another glass of bourbon down in front of her, her third of the night so far. Normally she didn't drink, Riven didn't like the way it dulled her senses, but after a long day she felt like giving it a try and joining the men from her unit at the bar. The men from her unit sat at a booth towards the back of the bar, she had decided to pry herself away from them after they had become significantly more drunk than herself. The obnoxious yelling and bet placing wasn't exactly her scene.

The bar was relatively packed; a lot of the people inside were either infantry soldiers like herself or people from the shadier side of Noxus, it wasn't exactly in the greatest location. It didn't bother her though; she was used to the people from this side of life, having grown up on the streets without a family before joining the military. Riven's eyes slowly scanned the bar before settling on a red headed woman who entered through the front door. The woman was clearly out of place. The red head walked with a murderous, confident swagger that Riven recognised as belonging to someone who was high born, a noble of some kind. As the woman approached the bar, Riven got a good look at the long scar across her left eye, causing Riven to recognise her. It was Katarina Du Couteau, daughter of General Du Couteau, about as high born as you can get in Noxus.

Riven slowly drank from the glass of bourbon in her hand before retreating to an empty booth at the back. She eyed the red head shortly on her way over, making eye contact with her briefly. Riven took a seat at the booth with the remainder of her drink. She had heard all kinds of rumours about Katarina Du Couteau, everyone had. Noxus didn't have many celebrities but Katarina was essentially one of them and people loved to talk. Riven was deep in her thoughts when the red headed assassin took a seat in the booth in front of Riven, surprising her. Riven made eye contact with the assassin, saying nothing, watching as Katarina dragged her eyes up and down with a venomous hunger.

"So you're a soldier?" Katarina asked, knowing the answer just by looking at her uniform.

"Yes."

"What kind?" Katarina moved to take a sip from Riven's drink, causing Riven to raise her eyebrow at her. How bold, she thought.

"Infantry. Nothing interesting." The assassin nodded.

"Buy me a drink." Katarina said with a smirk. Riven knew from the look on the assassin's face and from her reputation that she asked the soldier to buy her a drink not because she couldn't afford to buy her own but because she enjoyed the power and control. Riven nodded and stood up, heading for the bar, if it were any other woman she would have made her work harder before giving Riven orders but infantry soldiers like herself didn't get to speak with someone of much higher status than themselves often.

Riven returned to the booth with two drinks in hand a few minutes later, placing one down in front of Katarina. Riven ran her eyes over the woman in front of her as she sat down, Katarina had opened up her leather jacket more in her absence, showing some cleavage now. She was obviously trying to gage some sort of reaction from Riven, who decided to not be too easy and pretended she hadn't noticed the difference in her attire.

"Not many woman in the military, let alone as an infantry soldier on the front line."

"No, there isn't." Riven said, causing Katarina to smirk at her through her glass of bourbon. She knew Riven was making her work for her attention. Riven's gaze slipped from the woman in front of her, watching the people around them.

"You're a soldier; you must be good at taking orders then." She heard Katarina say, placing a hand on Riven's inner thigh under the table, bringing the soldier's attention back to her. She wasn't playing around anymore.

"I might be." Katarina had successfully awoken that hunger within Riven, returning a smirk.

"Good to hear," The assassin said as she finished her drink, "Follow me." She placed the glass down on the table in front of Riven, standing up from her seat and heading for the front door of the bar. Riven quickly drank the entire glass of bourbon and followed Katarina, she wasn't going to waste an opportunity like this.

The pair travelled in silence to a small inn nearby, Katarina headed up the stairs of the establishment, key in hand for one of the rooms. The red head unlocked the door of her room and pulled Riven inside with her, pushing Riven up against it once it was closed behind them. Riven heard Katarina lock the door as the assassin closed the small distance between them, feeling Katarina's lips hovering just above her neck.

"I want to see how well you can follow orders, soldier." She felt Katarina's breath on her neck, causing goosebumps to run up her skin. Katarina's lips connected with Riven's neck softly for a moment before turning into a cruel bite, the assassin's knee sliding in between her legs. Katarina's hands held Riven's wrists against the door. Riven gasped at the white hot pain in her neck before Katarina let go, pulling back enough to make eye contact with Riven who's breathing had quickened.

The assassin's grip on her wrists moved to gripping on her uniform, yanking apart the shirt, buttons falling to the floor. Katarina's hands moved up and down her waist for a moment before the red head stepped back, running her eyes up and down her body.

"Take off the rest of your clothes." Riven's breath caught in her throat as she began to undress, Katarina watching with a deep hunger in her expression.

In reflection, Riven knew that she was addicted to this from that very moment, unable to resist the confidence that seeped from Katarina's pores.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Six Months Later, Katarina's POV

Katarina shrugged on her leather jacket, flicking her long red hair out of the collar before equipping her belt with her various knives. The assassin's bedroom was relatively undecorated, a few Noxian flag pieces hanging from the walls but not much else; she didn't feel the need to waste time and money on it. There was a brief knock at the door before Cassiopeia entered Katarina's room anyway, as she always did.

"Cass, what do you want?"

"Heading out for a second night in a row, are we? Now I really do have to meet this woman you keep seeing." Cassiopeia smirked at Katarina, causing the red head to glare back.

"How do you know it's the same woman?"

"Because even you of all people don't go out multiple nights a week several weeks in a row, so I figure it must be the same person that you're seeing. Or you're more sex crazed than I thought you were." Cassiopeia shrugged with a satisfied smirk as Katarina rolled her eyes, giving away to her sister that she had been right. Katarina sighed as she sat down on the edge of the bed, knowing her sister wouldn't let the topic go unless she confessed. Cassiopeia would probably follow her to Riven's place tonight if she had to.

"Fine, what do you want to know."

"What's her name?"

"Riven." She responded bluntly.

"Riven what?"

"It's just Riven."

"No last name? You aren't seriously telling me that you're seeing some low born woman who doesn't even have a last name." Cassiopeia smirked at her, knowing that if their father found out, he would be less than impressed.

"She's an infantry soldier, no family or money."

"How long have you been seeing her then?"

"Six months or so. It's just sex, she's a good lay." Cassiopeia raised her eyebrow at her, obviously not believing that it was nothing more than sex.

"She must be a great lay for you to keep returning to her after six months, if you feel nothing for her, maybe I should give her a try." Katarina's face gave away how she felt about that. She hadn't really thought about their 'relationship' (if you could call it that) and whether it would be exclusive or not, "Oh so she's more than just a good lay?"

"Fuck you, Cass." She snarled as she headed out the door behind Cassiopeia, storming down the stairs. Her sister had always known how to push her buttons. She pushed past Talon who was entering the mansion and slammed the front door behind her.

Katarina chose to walk to the military barracks on the far side of town, choosing secrecy over efficiency. The barracks were in the rougher side of town due to low social status of those who stayed in it, members of the military who could afford to live elsewhere usually did so. Over the months, Katarina had gotten used to the abysmal living quarters that Riven had received because she certainly couldn't bring Riven back to the Du Couteau mansion. Her father wouldn't approve that's for sure.

Once she reached the barracks, she chose to scale the side of the building instead of entering the front door, the last thing she wanted was for rumours to start. Riven always left the window open for her in case she chose to visit. She pulled herself up over the window sill and climbed inside, Riven lying on her small bed looked up at her as her feet hit the floor.

"You look pissed, what's the matter?" Riven said, eyeing her as she propped herself up on her elbow and gestured for Katarina to join her on the bed. Katarina laid down beside her, the bed just big enough for the both of them.

"Just Cassiopeia, she's been harassing me about where I've been going and being nosey as always." Riven nodded as she pulled the assassin into her embrace, Katarina's head resting on her collarbone. She knew Katarina liked being held like this, though she would never admit it. As time had gone on, the assassin's visits tended to be less about sex and more about spending time with Riven though once again, Katarina would never admit to enjoying spending time with Riven.

"Do you like me, Kat?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, we've been seeing each other for months now and I don't know how you feel about me."

"Since when did you become so sappy?" Katarina withdrew from her embrace, obviously avoiding the question, sitting on the edge of the bed instead.

"You know, I haven't seen anyone but you since we met. I have intense feelings for you, Kat. I suspect you feel the same with how often you visit." Riven ran her fingers down Katarina's arm as the red head looked away from her. "Look you don't have to say anything; I won't make you, but just nod so I know you feel the same, okay?" Katarina hesitated for a moment before nodding, the look on her face showing disgust at her own vulnerability.

Riven had worked out over the past few months that whenever Katarina feels vulnerable, she begins to shut down; an easy fix was to give the assassin back the control. Riven stuck her arms out, the underside of her fists facing upwards, her head bowed. It was a trained pose, one that Katarina had instilled in her. Katarina's expression changes, smirking, knowing that she's now back in control once again and crawls on top of Riven.

Katarina undoes her own belt and wraps it around Riven's wrists. Katarina straddled Riven's hips and leaned in, kissing down her neck. The assassin undid Rivan's uniform shirt with practiced efficiency before undoing the bandages that wrapped around her chest and discarding both on the floor beside them. Katarina sat up, removing her own leather jacket and tossing it on top of Riven's discarded clothing.

"I want you on the floor, on your knees." The assassin said, smirking as she got off of Riven's hips. Riven did as she commanded, rolling off the bed and onto her knees, facing the bed. Katarina stood in front of her, undoing her pants and pulling them and her underwear down her legs, yanking them off with her boots. She undid her leather crop top as Riven watched, biting her lower lip. She tossed all of her clothing aside before perching herself on the edge of the bed in front of Riven, legs spread as she smirked down at her. "Show me what you can do with your mouth, maybe if it's good enough, I'll reward you."

Riven shuddered at the authoritative tone dripping from Katarina's words before moving forward, pressing her lips against the assassin. Katarina gasped slightly, her hands finding their way into Riven's hair and gripping tightly. Katarina moved her legs so they hung over Riven's shoulders, her breathing quickening.

"F-Fuck." Katarina said under her breath, keeping quiet to prevent the men in the next rooms from hearing. Riven knew she could have the assassin coming quicker if she could use her hands but Katarina had demanded she use her mouth, so she will. Katarina moaned as Riven kept drawing circles with her tongue. Eventually, Katarina came, her grip on Riven's hair disappearing and her body becoming limp. She was breathing heavily, trying to recover from her climax as Riven separated her face from her, listening for her next instruction.

Katarina smirked slightly, still breathy, and gestured to Riven with a finger to come join her up on the bed. Riven kneeled beside her, Katarina undoing the belt around her wrists in order to remove her clothing.

"I guess I'll reward you, I'm feeling generous today." Riven smiled back in response.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Riven stood at the front doors of the Du Couteau mansion, hesitating momentarily before knocking. She could feel her heart in her throat, her pulse ringing in her ears. She and Katarina had been seeing each other for a year and a half now and it was tonight that she was finally coming to her instead of the other way around. Katarina hadn't said much other than informing her that she was to come here tonight, she didn't know what Katarina had been planning.

The assassin opened the door, peering out at her before stepping aside so Riven could come in. Katarina wordlessly led Riven throughout the mansion and to her own private quarters, a very large living space with her own bathroom attached. Nothing less than luxury for a Du Couteau, Riven thought. Katarina closed the door behind them and Riven placed her rune sword and bag next to it.

"Why am I here after all this time?"

"Cause I'm sick of your tiny room," She smirked at her before continuing, "My father found out about us, turns out Cass isn't very good at keeping secrets. He doesn't approve, he thinks I'll marry some Noxian noble or some shit, but I do what I want." She snarled, putting on an aggressive show for Riven before grabbing the ashen haired woman's wrist, pulling her towards the bathroom.

Katarina turned on the tap for the bath and began undressing herself, gesturing with the tilt of her head for Riven to join her. Riven began removing the pieces of armour on her body. She had only arrived home from a mission the other day, she was glad to be back and to spend some more time with Kat. Katarina bent over the each of the bath tub and tested the water before climbing in, resting her arms confidently around the edge of the tub. She smirked slightly at Riven as she finished removing her clothing.

Riven stepped into the bath, sitting in front of Katarina and leaning her back into the assassin's chest. She spent a few moments trying to relax herself, sliding down the tub slightly so Katarina could rest her chin on top of her head.

"So, do I get to meet your sister for the first time tonight?" Katarina snorted at the question. Riven could feel the assassin rolling her eyes just by the way her body moved behind her, she knew her well.

"I don't know why you would want to. All she's going to do is want to be a nosey cunt as always." Riven laughed lightly, wrapping her right hand around Katarina's that rested on the edge of the bath.

"I have something to tell you, and you aren't going to like it." Riven's tone had turned serious; she could feel Katarina stiffen slightly behind her.

"What is it?"

"They've decided to make me Commander of Fury Company," Riven paused, waiting for Katarina to say something but only received pained silence, "Which means I'll be away even more often."

"You're right, I don't like it. Turn the position down." Riven removed her hand from Katarina's and pivoted in the bath to face her.

"What do you mean turn it down?"

"Exactly what I said, turn down the promotion."

"But why?" Katarina hesitated, scowling and brow furrowed, answering would make her vulnerable.

"Because."

"Because what?" Riven certainly wasn't letting this go, if Katarina really wished for her to turn down the promotion, she would but she would have to know why first.

"Because I don't want you to go." The assassin confessed, staring away from her, not wanting to see the look on the soldier's face. Riven watched the assassin's face with loving eyes before connecting their lips together.

"I don't want to go either, but I can't stay as an underling forever, not if I ever want to be with you seriously." Katarina turned her eyes back onto Riven, a puzzled look on her face.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, Lady Du Couteau," Riven said with a slight smirk as she knew how much Katarina hated being called that, "Last time I checked, it was frowned upon for a lowly infantry soldier to be doing such things with their superior, not just in military rank but social status. I mean your father certainly doesn't approve and I can't imagine many others will either."

"Fuck what they think." Katarina snarled, causing Riven's smirk to soften into a smile.

"I love you too, Kat." Katarina's expression contorted, she felt the same but couldn't bring herself to say such a thing to someone else, let alone someone who could leave and never come back. Riven had come to expect this from her, learning to take certain things being said as Katarina's way of telling Riven she loved her. She pivoted back in the bath to be facing away from Katarina again and rested back on Katarina's chest. The assassin placed a gentle but possessive kiss on top of her head.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Riven stood in front of the Du Couteau mansion, waiting for someone to answer the door. She was weary from travel, having just spent three months on the Demacian front leading her men but Katarina had sent someone after her as soon as she returned to the barracks, requesting her to come to the estate. Hopefully Katarina planned to let her sleep as Riven was exhausted.

Someone finally responded to Riven's knocking, Talon peering out from behind the door at the soldier before wordlessly letting her enter. He didn't bother leading her to Katarina's quarters; she knew the mansion well enough. Whenever she wasn't away on missions, she basically lived here as Katarina couldn't stand Riven's small living quarters back at the barracks. Riven reached Katarina's door and pushed it open without knocking, they had been together for so long at this point she didn't feel it was necessary any more.

Katarina was sat at her desk at the end of the room, her attention caught up in piles of paperwork in front of her; she hadn't heard Riven enter so the soldier took the moment to just watch. It wasn't often that one caught an assassin off guard. Katarina finally looked up from her paperwork and jumped slightly in her seat at the sight of Riven watching her.

"Fuck. How'd you get in here without me noticing? That's my thing." She said, eyebrow raised.

"You must have been so focused on that paperwork you didn't hear me enter." The assassin pushed the papers to the side of the desk and rose from her chair, sauntering over to Riven who stood by the door. Katarina's quick and clever fingers unclasped her sword from her back and her pieces of armour, thudding as they hit the floor around her. Once she was only in her clothes, Katarina wrapped her arms around the soldier, pulling her into a tight embrace. Over the years, Riven had learned to take these vulnerable moments with Katarina whenever she could get them and extend them for as long as possible.

"Kat, is it alright if we go to bed? I'm exhausted." The assassin pulled back slightly, her arms still around Riven before she nodded and began removing her boots. Even though Katarina wasn't tired, she wasn't going to miss the chance to be able to hold her, she hadn't seen Riven in over three months and she didn't know how long Riven would be staying before she would be gone again.

The pair stripped down to their undergarments and then climbed into Katarina's bed together, it was basically their bed at this point but Riven didn't want to put that kind of pressure on her. Riven rest her head on Katarina's chest and let the assassin run her nimble fingers through her hair.

"Did you miss me?" Riven murmured into Katarina's chest, already falling in and out of consciousness. She felt Katarina's hands pause in her hair for a moment before slowly returning to carding through her hair.

"Yes, I did. Maybe I should speak to Darius or someone, get you promoted so you can stay." Riven laughed slightly.

"I'd love to be promoted, not so much the talk that would go with having my girlfriend using her status to get me there though." Riven saw Katarina smirk slightly in the corner of her eye. The soldier pressed her lips against Katarina's chest before going back to resting on it.

"Don't do stuff like that, you might get me all riled up now." Riven chuckled slightly.

"Sorry, Kat, I'm so tired."

"Go to sleep." She said, sighing into the embrace she had around Riven. Only minutes later was Riven snoring away on top of her chest, causing Katarina to smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Riven woke up still in the same position, head on Katarina's chest, as she had fallen asleep in the night prior. The assassin was still asleep under her, causing a smile to play on her lips. Riven sat up slightly causing the assassin to stir but not wake, she pressed her lips to Katarina's neck, running her fingers along the other side of her jaw.

"Katarina, wake up." She growled lightly in between the kisses she placed on Katarina's neck. The assassin began to wake slightly, feeling Riven's hands drift down her body.

"Katarina, are you awake?" She murmured before kissing down her chest, Katarina's eyes starting to flutter open at the contact.

"I am now," She growled with a smirk, "You know how to wake up a girl, Riven." Katarina rolled them over so she was straddling Riven's waist, smiling down at her. Katarina pulled her tank top over her head, exposing her chest to Riven before Cassiopeia pushed through the door without knocking.

"Fucking hell Cass! Do you not know how to fucking knock?" Katarina shouted before yanking the covers over herself and Riven, glaring over her shoulder at her sister.

"Sorry, I just came to say that breakfast was ready and father asked for you two to come join us." Riven swallowed hard at those words, she had seen General Du Couteau multiple times when visiting but they had never exchanged words, only knowing nods in the halls as they passed each other.

"Alright, alright. Give us a damn minute and we'll be there." She waited for Cassiopeia to exit her quarters and close the door behind her before exiting the sheets, stepping off of Riven and the bed before heading to her closet. Riven sat up onto the edge of the bed, watching her girlfriend get dressed in front of her. She smiled when Katarina turned to her, joining her as they headed down to the dining room with her. "Don't be so nervous and stiff, Riven." Katarina whispered under her breath before entering the room where the Du Couteau family sat at breakfast.

She sat at the table with Katarina sitting on her left, Riven was as stiff as a board throughout the entire meal as Katarina took food served herself and then put food on Riven's plate. She picked at it nervously, hoping to fade into the background. She didn't know anything about Katarina's father other than he didn't really approve of them. Riven avoided eye contact with the General as she listened to the usual bickering between Katarina and Cassiopeia.

"Is there something wrong with the food, Commander?" Riven looked up at the General who sat across from her, shocked at the use of her rank to address her.

"No, sir. It's good." She smiled politely and forced herself to take a bite. There really was nothing wrong with it, she was just nervous about the chance of this very situation taking place.

"Is something else bothering you?" He questioned, eyes locked on her.

"I'm just nervous, sir." The General's serious expression broke; he chuckled at the idea of Riven being scared of him.

"Do I scare you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." He returned to the food in front of him, leaving the conversation at that. Riven quickly inhaled the rest of the food on her plate and when she and Katarina returned upstairs to her private quarters, Katarina let out a loud laugh.

"You looked like you were going to shit yourself."

"I thought I was going to," Riven let out a breath of relief, rubbing her temples to release some of her tension, "We need to get our own place."

"Agreed." The assassin said with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Riven fiddled with the keys to her and Katarina's apartment, trying to open the door. She cursed to herself, she could never remember how the damn lock worked and Katarina refused to change it, apparently she thought it was cute seeing Riven get so frustrated over something so small. Riven wasn't in a particularly good mood, she came home bearing bad news, again.

Eventually Katarina opened the door for Riven from the inside, smirking widely at Riven not being able to open the door on her own yet again. The assassin's hand wrapped around the collar of her commander's uniform and pulled her inside, pushing her up against the door and kissing at her neck.

"You're in a bad mood," she murmured against Riven's neck in between kisses, "Let me help you with that." Riven relaxed slowly into Katarina's touch as she efficiently undid her uniform, she had certainly gotten good practice over the years. She felt Katarina pull her uniform shirt and coat off her shoulders and let them fall to the floor, the assassin's quick fingers were already at the bandages binding her chest, yanking them off.

"What's gotten you all riled up?" Riven smirked as she felt Katarina's lips moving down her collarbone and to her chest.

"It's been too long." The assassin replied, putting her mouth on Riven's exposed nipple, eliciting a short exhale from the soldier.

"We fucked just yesterday." Riven chuckled slightly before moaning as the assassin bit down.

"I know." Katarina replied before moving to the soldier's other breast.

"You're insatiable, you know."

"You love it really."

"I do." She sighed as Katarina undid the belt holding up her pants, sliding them down to her ankles along with her underwear.

"On your hands and knees on the bed." Riven stumbled quickly in order to obey the command, causing Katarina to give a possessive smirk.

Hours later when the pair were lying in bed, covered in sweat, Riven's bad mood returned to her. The assassin had done a good job at keeping it at bay for a period of time, but that didn't change the future. Katarina picked up on this and raised her eyebrow, waiting for Riven to speak.

"I have bad news."

"What does High Command want this time?" She knew Riven was leaving again, this always angered her.

"I'm leaving for Ionia tomorrow." She paused as Katarina stiffened slightly. "I have a bad feeling about this one, Kat."

"Why's that?" Katarina had her classic scowl on her face.

"We're being forced to work with those bastards from Zaun, I don't trust them. I also don't know if we can win against Ionia. It just doesn't feel right, Kat."

"Let me get you out of it then. I've told you many times that I can just get you promoted so you stay here."

"You know I can't let you do that." Katarina sighed indignantly at Riven's refusal to let her help. "I don't know when I'll be back. Could be weeks, could be months or even longer." Riven wrapped her arm around the assassin's waist and pulled her into an embrace under the bed covers.

The next morning, Riven woke up Katarina to be able to say goodbye. Katarina quickly put on some clothes and joined Riven for a quick breakfast, largely eaten in silence. The assassin got like this almost every time the soldier left.

Riven stood in front of the door, hesitating to leave this time. She never wanted to leave Katarina, but this time in particular, she felt it the most.

"I love you, Kat. I hope I can come back soon." The assassin said nothing, eyes stuck to the floor. After several moments passed, Riven continued speaking. "You know, you've never said it back. We've been together almost three years now."

"I know." She murmured, just loud enough for the soldier to hear her.

"Say it. Please." Katarina lifted her gaze from the floor, making eye contact. Riven could see Katarina's hands shaking slightly.

"I love you, Riven." She quickly pulled the ashen haired woman into a tight embrace, putting her mouth to Riven's ear. "You don't get to make me say it and then not return. So you better come back."

"I'll come back for you, always." She pulled back, smiling at Katarina before kissing her goodbye and stepping out the front door.

It wasn't long after this that Fury Company was betrayed by Zaun. In moments of reflection, Katarina always cursed herself for not ignoring Riven's protests against her interfering and getting her promoted. Maybe she would have been safe.


End file.
